Pompey take on relegation threatened York City looking to keep their slim hopes of automatic promotion alive at Bootham Crescent tomorrow night.
Team News
Paul Cook claims that a few of his players are carrying injuries ahead of tomorrow's match but won't disclose who. Gary Roberts doesn't have concussion despite being elbowed by Paul Hartley on Saturday whilst Conor Wilkinson and Ryan Fulton are still injured.
Minstermen defender David Winfield is suspended after being sent off at Hartlepool on Saturday whilst forwards Michael Coulson and Jake Hyde have gron injuries and will miss the game.
The Match
After Saturday's sucker-punch of a defeat to Plymouth, tomorrow night presents almost the perfect fixture to bounce back and keep those ever-so-faint hopes of a top three finish going. The home side haven't won in twelve games and will be relegated if they don't beat Pompey tomorrow.
Jackie McNamara's experiment in loaning youngsters from a higher division hasn't worked and it seems like York's senior players have just given up on retaining their Football League status. So, there can be no excuses for Pompey not beating the team they beat 6-0 at Fratton Park earlier in the season, regardless of any injury problems Paul Cook's squad might have.
Because of Fulton's injury it seems like Paul Jones will keep his place in the side despite his error which led to Plymouth's equaliser. Adam McGurk surely has to be dropped now whilst Conor Chaplin and Marc McNulty may also fancy taking Michael Smith's place in the side, although he did score on Saturday and plays the lone striker role fairly well away from home.
Whichever team is picked, they should be able to do the business although a Tuesday night game up north always tends to be tricky for Portsmouth no matter who they're playing.
Only a win will do and then Pompey fans must hope that Oxford, Bristol Rovers, Accrington and Plymouth above them drop points as they all face away games at Newport, Stevenage, Hartlepool and Leyton Orient respectively.
Predicted Starting Line-Ups
York
GK: Scott FLINDERS
RB: Luke HENDRIE
CB: Will BOYLE
CB: Scot BENNETT
LB: Kyle CAMERON
RM: Matty DIXON
CM: Luke SUMMERFIELD
CM: Russell PENN
LM: Vadaine OLIVER
CF: Bradley FEWSTER
CF: Lewis ALLESANDRA
Pompey
GK: Paul JONES
RB: Ben DAVIES
CB: Christian BURGESS
CB: Adam WEBSTER
LB: Enda STEVENS
DM: Ben CLOSE
DM: Danny HOLLANDS
RM: Gareth EVANS
AM: Marc McNULTY
LM: Kyle BENNETT
CF: Michael SMITH
Last Time: York City 0 Portsmouth 0 (League Two - 04/10/2014)
Virtually nothing happened in this bore draw at Bootham Crescent as Andy Awford's side had to be content with a point.
My Prediction
As much as the Plymouth defeat hurt and as pessimistic as some Pompey fans are when it comes to playing poor teams away from home during midweek with possibly a weakened side, there should still be enough quality to relegate York tomorrow. They won't make it easy, though!
York City 1 Portsmouth 2